As a deity name
Name 560 of the Gayatri Sahasranāma — Devi Bhagavata Purana, as taught by Sages
Name 616 of the Gayatri Sahasranāma — Devi Bhagavata Purana, as taught by Sages
Name 316 of the Lakshmi Sahasranāma — Skanda Purana / Sanat Kumara Samhita, as taught by Sages Sanatkumara and Devotees
Name 595 of the Lakshmi Sahasranāma — Skanda Purana / Sanat Kumara Samhita, as taught by Sages Sanatkumara and Devotees
As a Hindi name
पुण्या · noun · feminine
तुलसी · पुनपुना नदी — Śabdasāgara
पुण्या · punyā · s.m.
= puṇyāh, q.v — Platts (1884), digital edition courtesy DSAL, University of Chicago, p. 275
Cited formation "पुण्या" is पुण्य + -आ: पुण्य means "holy, sacred", and the suffix -आ forms abstract, agent, action or instrumental nouns (masc.); also past participles. CHD Basic Grammar App. I §8(3) — cited from the extracted rule table
Cited formation "पुण्या" is पुण्य + -आ: पुण्य means "holy, sacred", and the suffix -आ forms 'having' (adjectives). CHD Basic Grammar App. I §9(1) — cited from the extracted rule table
As a Sanskrit word
Meaning
holy basil
Scripturally attested Verified derivationMultiple readings (2)Why this matches what you typed
M1 · same meaning "puṇyā" is the feminine form of "puṇya" — the same word with the feminine ending (nominative).
M3 · meaning shifts "puṇya" is derived from "puṇ" with the yat suffix — a related word whose meaning shifts, so both meanings are shown.
puṇ cl. 6. P. puṇati, to act piously or virtuously, Dhātup. xxviii, 43 (invented to serve as base for puṇya, ni-puṇa &c.?); cl. 10. P. poṇayati, to collect, accumulate (v.l. for pūl, pūlyati).
puṇ 6 P. (puṇati) To be virtuous or holy, act in a virtuous manner.
puṇya mf(ā)n. (perhaps fr. √ 2. puṣ, according to Uṇ. v, 15 from √ pū; see also √ puṇ) auspicious, propitious, fair, pleasant, good, right, virtuous, meritorious, pure, holy, sacred, RV. &c. &c.
puṇya m. N. of a poet, Cat.
Related forms
Dictionary citations
puṇyā (ā), f. holy basil, L.
Physalis Flexuosa, L.
N. of a daughter of Kratu and Saṃnati, VP.
puṇya mf(ā)n. (perhaps fr. √ 2. puṣ, according to Uṇ. v, 15 from √ pū; see also √ puṇ) auspicious, propitious, fair, pleasant, good, right, virtuous, meritorious, pure, holy, sacred, RV. &c. &c.
puṇya m. N. of a poet, Cat.
puṇ cl. 6. P. puṇati, to act piously or virtuously, Dhātup. xxviii, 43 (invented to serve as base for puṇya, ni-puṇa &c.?); cl. 10. P. poṇayati, to collect, accumulate (v.l. for pūl, pūlyati).
puṇ 6 P. (puṇati) To be virtuous or holy, act in a virtuous manner.
Alternative readings
More than one analysis survives full verification. That ambiguity is real, so we show every reading rather than pick one silently.
Caveats
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